Geoff Ladd in 2007 conducted this interview of Robert and Norma McAfee. Robert and his sister, Pauline, were greeters when The Mill (known then as The Blue Mill) opened July 25, 1929, along Route 66 in Lincoln, Illinois. The audio is hissy, so you probably will have to turn up the volume on your smartphone or … Continue reading Recollections of the early days of The Mill in Lincoln
Tag: Lincoln IL
Anniversary celebration of The Mill’s reopening set for April 29
The first anniversary of the reopening of The Mill in Lincoln, Illinois, into a local museum will be celebrated Sunday, April 29, with an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. that day. The weekend also will feature the fifth annual Bike Blessing at 1 p.m. April 28 at the VFW/Foxhole Pub & Grub at … Continue reading Anniversary celebration of The Mill’s reopening set for April 29
Relighting of The Tropics neon sign set for June 24
(UPDATE 4/10/2017: Because of a schedule conflict, the date of the relighting ceremony has been changed.) The restoration of the neon sign for The Tropics in Lincoln, Illinois, is far enough along that organizers have set a relighting date for Sunday, June 24, in a McDonald's parking lot where the Route 66 restaurant once stood. … Continue reading Relighting of The Tropics neon sign set for June 24
Lincoln Route 66 sites featured in Chicago TV segment
The Loyola University of Chicago men's basketball team made an unlikely march to the NCAA Final Four and play in the semifinals Saturday at the San Antonio Alamodome. To mark the occasion, the big CBS affiliate in Chicago sent reporter Charlie De Mar and a cardboard cutout of Loyola's team chaplain and fan favorite, Sister … Continue reading Lincoln Route 66 sites featured in Chicago TV segment
Co-founder of The Tropics in Lincoln dies
Helen Frances Schwenoha, co-founder of now-defunct but fondly remembered The Tropics restaurant in Lincoln, Illinois, died Feb. 28 at age 95 in Los Osos, California. The San Luis Obispo Tribune published an obituary on Schwenoha on March 18. Schwenoha was born in Augusta, Illinois, to John Bradford and Mary Grace Compton. She married Vincent John Schwenoha in … Continue reading Co-founder of The Tropics in Lincoln dies
New mural to be unveiled Sunday in Elkhart
A new Route 66-themed mural in downtown Elkhart, Illinois, will be unveiled Sunday during a weekend that includes the 11th annual Car Cruise-In at The Mill in nearby Lincoln, Illinois. Here's more information about the mural from a news release: According to the Elkhart Historical Society, “the colorful hand-painted mural measuring 36 feet long by … Continue reading New mural to be unveiled Sunday in Elkhart
Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program announces 2017 cost-share grants
The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program on Thursday announced its annual cost-share grant awards, with seven grants totaling $98,137. This year's grant awards are remarkable in their breadth, including neon-sign restorations, oral-history projects, a full assessment of Route 66's bridges, a historic-property database, an educational websites and a documentary film. Since 2001, the program has … Continue reading Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program announces 2017 cost-share grants
Spaceship to land at The Mill for its 88th birthday
I never thought I'd write that headline. A spaceship made by the same man who crafted the World's Largest Covered Wagon in Lincoln, Illinois, will make a special appearance Tuesday at The Mill museum for the Route 66 landmark's 88th birthday. The Mill opened as The Blue Mill sandwich stand July 25, 1929, along U.S. … Continue reading Spaceship to land at The Mill for its 88th birthday
Restoration begins on The Tropics sign
The fabled neon sign for the now-closed The Tropics restaurant in Lincoln, Illinois, this week was moved to a shop for restoration work for the next six months. The Lincoln Courier reported the sign was moved Tuesday to Ace Sign Co. in nearby Springfield, where the company will undergo restoration work on it through late … Continue reading Restoration begins on The Tropics sign
The Tropics neon sign may return to Lincoln by spring 2018
The historic neon sign for the now-gone The Tropics restaurant in Lincoln, Illinois, may return to a parking lot at a McDonald's along Route 66 by spring 2018. That scenario became more likely after the city approved an easement with Franchise Realty Investment Trust on behalf of the McDonald’s to install the sign at the lot … Continue reading The Tropics neon sign may return to Lincoln by spring 2018